Windows 11 Start menu ads arrive. How to turn them off.
Sometimes it feels like everything is getting a little bit worse every day. This latest Windows 11 update is a good example of that.
In the patch notes for Windows 11 update KB5036980, Microsoft noted that the start menu in Windows 11 will now display recommended apps from the Windows app store. In other words, they put ads in the start menu.
"The Recommended section of the Start menu will show some Microsoft Store apps. These apps come from a small set of curated developers," the patch notes said. "This will help you to discover some of the great apps that are available."
You May Also Like
How to turn off recommended apps in the Windows 11 start menu
In case you're wondering, yes, you can turn this off. Here's how:
Go to Settings
Click on Personalization
Click on Start
Find the toggle that says "Show recommendations for tips, app promotions, and more"
Turn the toggle off
It's good that Microsoft gives you the option to straight up disable those ads. Take advantage of it while you can.
Topics Windows
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at yelix.bsky.social.
